GRAND RAPIDS -- The Grand Rapids Rampage are committed to putting a team on the field in the future, regardless of the status of the Arena Football League, Rampage Chief Operating Officer Scott Gorsline told The Press this morning.

The AFL has suspended operations indefinitely.

The league's board of directors, which voted in December to cancel the 2009 season due to deep financial losses, was unable to agree on a plan to prepare for a 2010 relaunch. It held a conference call Thursday in which team representatives, including Rampage Owner Dan DeVos and Gorsline, reached an impasse and couldn't get the required 75 percent of franchises to commit to the 2010 season.

"It ultimately proved too tough a hurdle to get over," Gorsline said of the stalemate.

He reaffirmed the Rampage's intent to return in some form.

"We're one of the group that is actually continuing dialogue. I've been in contact with multiple owners in the last few days, and so has Dan," Gorsline said. "We will continue to talk about resurrecting the league. The Rampage means a lot to Dan DeVos personally and he knows what the team means to Grand Rapids.

"We're still working on it. The Rampage have not thrown in the towel."

DeVos could not be reached for comment.

There are multiple published and Internet reports suggesting that remnant franchises of the AFL, including the Rampage, could break off and start a different league.

Gorsline could not confirm those reports.

"Anything's possible. We're open to ideas to putting Arena Football back on the field. It could take any number of different forms," he said. "We haven't given up hope."

He also did not rule out the Rampage perhaps joining minor-league arenafootball2, a developmental league that plays under the same rules and format as the AFL. The focus is on salvaging what's left of the AFL at this point.

"I can't 100 percent rule that out," he said, "but it's highly unlikely that would happen. We remain committed to try to bring the Arena Football League back."

Rampage placekicker Brian Gowins, the team's alternate union representative, is confident the Rampage will be part of whatever form the league takes.

"I'm disappointed the AFL and its history and its traditions seem to have gone by the way side, but knowing our ownership and Mr. DeVos' love of this unique sport, I'm hopeful something else will take its place," he said.

"I know the fans here miss it."

A majority of AFL franchises, according to Gorsline, still hopes to return to the field soon, but there is no agreement on a business plan to go forward.

The league has missed numerous deadlines since March to ratify a new four-year collective bargaining agreement it had reached with the AFL Players Association. Terms of that agreement called for a nearly 50-percent reduction in the salary cap and reduced health benefits and insurance to the players.

On June 1, the AFL abruptly terminated all benefits to players.

The league also failed to reach a consensus on approving a new centralized business model despite announcing in May it had reached a plan to put the AFL on track to relaunch in 2010. Gorsline said there still are too many differences of opinion about a future business plan to get the required number of votes.

"We needed to get 75 percent of the votes to continue with any plan. We just couldn't get that." he said.

Gorsline refuted reports the league voted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. He indicated if the league does fold or file for bankruptcy, the Rampage already has settled all of its debts with creditors.

"I can tell you the Rampage, from a local perspective, have cleaned up all of our debts. That certainly would not be our intent (to file for bankruptcy)," he said.

Former Rampage coach Steve Thonn remains frustrated.

His contract, along with those of a couple of his assistant coaches, expired at the end of July. The contracts of a few remaining coaches expire at the end of this month.

"I figured the league would take a year off and come back," he said. "It's pretty disappointing that didn't happen. I do hold out hope there will be a new league.

"I'd like to return (to the Rampage). I know (DeVos) wants to keep a team there."